Let-off mechanism for looms.



E. mmom. LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR LOOMS APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1909.

Patented May 30, 1911 2 BHEBTE-EHEET 1.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1909.

Patented May 30, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EPPA H. RYON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMIPTON &KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR. LOOMS.

Patented May 30, 1911 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EPPA H. RYoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of WVoreester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Let-Off Mechanism for Looms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a let ofl mechanism for looms, and particularlyto a spring friction let 0H mechanism, and the object of my invention isto improve upon a spring friction let off mechanism as ordinarily made,and particularly to provide means for easily changing the tension on thespring.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction of myimprovements as will be hereinafter fully described.

I have only shown in the drawings a detaohed portion of a loom, and myspring friction let off mechanism applied thereto, suflicient to enablethose skilled in the art to understand the construction and operationthereof.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is an end View of a detached portionof a loom frame, and the warp beam, and my improvements in let offmechanism combined therewith, looking in the direction of arrow a, Fig.2. Fig. 2 shows a rear view of the loom frame and one end of the warpbeam, and the let off mechanism, looking in thedirection of arrow 6,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 corresponds to Fig. 1, but shows a modified constructionof my improvements in let off mechanism. Fig. 4shows a rear view of thelet ofl' mechanism shown in Fig. 3, looking in the direction. of arrow0, same figure, and Fig. 5 is a section, on line 5, 5, Fig. 4, lookingin the direction of arrow 03, same figure.

In the accompanying drawings,1 is the loom side or end frame, 2 is across girt secured to the loom side. The loom side 1 has suitablebearings l for the journal 3 on the warp beam 3. i

4 is the beam head, and 5 the brake or lfriction drum attached to androtatable with the beam, and of any usual construction. ,The brake bandpassing around the friction drum 5 is shown in this instance as a chain.6, which is secured at one end to a station'- friction let offmechanism. The chain 6 acts to apply friction to the drum 5 on the Warpbeam 3, to regulate the tension on the warp.

All of the above mentioned parts may be of any usual and well knownconstruction.

I will now describe my improvements in spring friction let off mechanismshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The cross girt 2 has secured thereto, in this instance on each end, astand or bracket 7 see Fig. 1, on which is a hub or boss 7 in which issecured, by a set screw 8, a horizontally extending stud 9. On the stud9 is loosely mounted the hub 10 extending out from one side of a gear10. The gear 10 has a boss 10" thereon, see Fig. 1, into which extendsone end of a helically coiled torsion spring 11. The spring 11 encirclesthe hub 10 on the gear 10, and its other end extends through a disk 12,which has its hub 12 secured on the inner end of the stud 9 by a pin12". The gear 10 has therein a series of holes 10', which are adapted toreceive a cotter pin 13, which acts to pivotally attach the yoke or link14 to the gear 10. To the link 14 is attached one end of the frictionchain 6. The torsion spring 11 acts to move the spur gear 10 in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and to communicate tensionto the friction chain 6. The gear 10 is in mesh with a pinion 15,secured by a pin 15 upon a transverse shaft 16, which is loosely mountedat each end in a bearing 7 on the downwardly extending' arm 7 on thestand 7.' On one end of the shaft 16 is loosely mounted the hub 17 of ahand lever 17 said hand lever 17 has a pin 17" thereon, on which ismounted a weighted pawl 18, which is adapted to engage a ratchet gear19, preferably rigidly connected to the pinion 15. The opposite end ofthe transverse shaft 16 has in this instance a pinion 15 loosely mountedthereon. The hub of said pinion has a recess at 15" into which extends apin 15 adapted to hold the pinion 15 on the shaft 16 and allows it topreferably have a little loose motion thereon.

A hold pawl 20 has its hub 20 loosely mounted on the stud 9, and has aweighted portion 20" thereon, see Fig.1. The pawl 20 is adapted toengage the teeth of the ratchet 19, by lifting the weighted end 20". Incase the weaver wishes to release the friction chain 6 on the drum 5 onthe warp beam, he moves the hand lever 17 (see Fig. 1,) downwardly, andthrough the engagement of the pawl 18 with the ratchet 19, it rotatesthe pinion 15, and through said pin ion turns the gear 10 in theopposite direction from that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. Therotation of the gear 10 carries the link 14 with it, and releases thetension on the chain 6 against the action of the torsion spring 11, andthe raising of the weighted part 20 on the hold fast pawl 20 will bringsaid pawl 20 into engagement with the ratchet 19, and said ratchet willbe held and prevented from rotating, and through the pinion 15, willhold the gear 10 against the action of the torsion spring 11. When it isdesired to apply friction of the chain 6 on the friction drum 5,the holdfast pawl 20 is released from the ratchet 19, and the torsion spring 11acts to turn the gear 10 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, toapply tension to the chain 6. When it is desired to vary the tension ofthe torsion spring 11, to increase or decrease its action, the cotterpin 13 is withdrawn from a hole in the gear 10, and is placed in anotherhole in said gear, according to whether the tension on said torsionspring 11 is to be increased or decreased.

In my modified construction of the spring friction let off mechanism,shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, I use in this instance two ratchet gears 19and 19 The ratchet gear 19 which is rigidly connected with the pinion 15is loosely mounted upon the transverse shaft 16, and is adapted to beengaged by the pawl 18 on the hand lever 17. A second pawl 18 isattached to the hand lever 17, and is adapted to engage the secondratchet gear 19*. The ratchet gear 19 is secured upon the transverseshaft 16, and operates the pinion 15 on the opposite end of said shaft,and is in this instance fastened upon said shaft by the pin 15". Twohold pawls 20 and 20 have their hubs loosely mounted on the stud 21, andhave a weighted portion 20 and 20 thereon. Said pawls are adapted toengage the ratchets 19 and 19*, respectively, by lifting the weightedends 20 and 20. In this case the friction let off mechanism on each sideis entirely independent, and the weaver may release the friction chainon each drum 5 separately, as desired. The helically coiled torsionspring 11, which encircles the hub 10 on the gear 10, has its other endextending through a ratchet gear 22, which has its hub 22 looselymounted on the inner end of the stud 9, and secured by a pin 22". Thehub 22 has therein a series of holes which are adapted to receive a pinor rod to turn the ratchet, in order to vary the tension of the torsionspring. A pawl 28, see Fig. 5, is mounted on a stud 24 and is adapted toengage the teeth of the ratchet 22, to hold said ratchet in position,and to prevent it from rotating.

The advantages of my improvements in spring let off mechanism for loomswill be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that each friction device at each end of the loomis independent of the other friction device during the normal operationof the loom, and that my improvements consist mainly in mechanismwhereby the friction may be released on both ends of the beamsimultaneously, for convenience in adjusting the warp to the reed, aftera pick-out, etc.

My improvements are very simple in construction and may be readilyapplied to a loom, and the friction on the warp beam may be increased ordecreased'as desired, and may be taken olf entirely.

It will be understood that the details of construction of myimprovements may be varied if desired.

Having thus described my invention,- what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent'is:

1. A let-off mechanism for looms, having a yielding friction device foreach end of the spool or beam, a friction band or surface connectingeach of said devices with the beam, a ratchet connected with each ofsaid devices by gearing, a rock shaft connecting one of said ratchetswith one of said devices, means to manually operate both of saidratchets by said devices, to slacken the bands at both ends of the beamssimultaneously.

2. A let-off mechanism for looms, having a yielding friction device,including a flexible band for each end of the spool or beam, a rockshaft, and means, including adjacent ratchets and pawls, located at oneend of the 100m, on said rock shaft, and manually operating said devicesat both ends simultaneously, to slacken said bands.

3. A let-off mechanism for looms, comprising a ratchet and gear, bothloose on a stud of pinion, a torsion spring connected with said ratchetand gear, a pawl to hold the V ratchet, a brake band or chain connectedto said gear, all located at each end of the loom, and means,includingratchets having pinions attached thereto, to move said gearsmanually, to slaoken said bands or chains 1 simultaneously. I I 4. In alet-oft mechanism for looms, a friction device at each end of the loom,comprising a ratchet, and a gear, both loose on a stud or pin, and atorsion spring connectedwith said ratchet and gear, a pawl to hold theratchet, a brake band connected with each of said gears, andconnect-ions, including a rock shaft and pinions intermediate saidgears, and means to operate said connections manually.

gears,

5. Ina let ofi mechanism for looms, a friction device located at eachend of the loom, and including a ratchet and a gear, a spring connectingsaid ratchet and gear, a brake band connected With each of said a pinionmeshing with each of said gears, an means, including ratchets and a rockshaft, for operating said pinions separately, or simultaneously.

6. In a let-off mechanism of the class described, a friction band or thelike for each end of the beam,-a torsion spring having a ratchetattached thereto for each band, to

control the tension thereof and said ratchet, and a gear operated bysaid ratchet, and each of said springs operating independently of theother during the normal operation of the loom, and means, including alever operatively connected to said ratchets, whereby the tension onsaid bands may be released separately or simultaneously, to adjust theposition of the beam.

' EPPA H. RYON. Witnesses:

JOHN C. DEWEY, MINNA HAAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

